If you love homemade pickles but want a quick and easy recipe without the hassle of canning, these sweet, tangy, and crispy refrigerator bread and butter pickles are perfect! They make a delicious condiment or snack and last up to 2 months!
If you love this recipe, check out my canned small-batch bread and butter pickles or my refrigerator sweet dill pickles and refrigerator dill pickles next!
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I love home canning and making my own pickles, but sometimes it's too hot, or I don't have the time to use the hot water bath canner.
On those days, I love to make these quick pickles. They're an easy recipe that takes less than 30 minutes of prep, and you can start enjoying these pickles almost immediately.
Note: These pickles are not shelf-stable and must be stored in the refrigerator.
Why You'll Love These Quick Bread and Butter Pickles
These bucket pickles are irresistibly good; here's why:
- Crispy: These cucumbers stay crisp the whole time.
- Sweet and Tangy: They have that classic bread and butter pickle flavor thanks to the simple brine.
- No Canning: Combine the ingredients and chill in the fridge; that's it!
- Versatile: Perfect for sandwiches, salads, or as a snack. (Try them on my Big Mac smash burger tacos or grilled smash burgers.
Ingredients You'll Need
- White sugar. You can use less if you prefer your pickles less sweet.
- White vinegar. Use 5% vinegar. You can also use apple cider vinegar.
- Pickling salt
- Mustard seed
- Turmeric
- Celery seed
- Bell peppers
- Onion
- Cucumbers. I used English cucumbers, but you can use any type of cucumber. I normally use field cucumbers when they are ready in my garden.
How to Make Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles
These homemade bread and butter pickles are quick and easy to make in just a few simple steps:
Step 1: Chop the Vegetables
Wash and dry the cucumbers and peppers. Leaving the skin on, cut the cucumbers into thin slices. A mandolin works really well for this. Cut the bell peppers and onion into thin slices as well.
Step 2: Prepare the Brine
Combine granulated sugar, white vinegar, pickling salt, mustard seeds, turmeric, and celery seed in a large container or jar. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. (I used a large 4 L jar, but anything will work as long as it has a tight-fitting lid).
Step 3: Add the Vegetables
Add the sliced bell peppers and onion slices directly to the brine and stir with a large spoon. Add the sliced cucumbers and stir again. Press down on the vegetables so they are just under the liquid. Let the container sit at room temperature for about 3 hours. Stir or shake occasionally. The vegetables will shrink, so if they are sticking out of the brine in the beginning, it's okay.
Step 4: Refrigerate
Cover and refrigerate the container of pickles. You can eat these homemade pickles almost immediately, but their flavor will increase over the next few days. Store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
Variations
- Spicy. Add sliced jalapeno peppers or a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Garlic. Add some whole garlic cloves to the brine for a garlic flavor.
- Fancy. Slice your cucumbers with a crinkle cutter to resemble the sweet pickles at the grocery store.
Tips for the Best Bread and Butter Refrigerator Pickles
- Make sure the vegetables are always covered in the pickle brine.
- Cut the cucumbers evenly so they have the same texture.
- These pickles have more of a sweet than tangy flavor. If you like your pickles tangier, you can reduce the sugar.
- These pickles are not just for sandwiches. Chop them up and add to potato salad, deviled eggs, or burger sauce.
- Use a mix of green, red, yellow, or orange bell peppers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
If you don't have pickling salt, you can use kosher salt as a substitute.
While you can start eating these pickles almost immediately, their flavor improves after 24-48 hours in the refrigerator.
These pickles will stay fresh and crispy in the refrigerator for up to 2 months as long as they are covered with brine and stored in an airtight container.
Definitely! You can divide the pickles and brine between smaller pint jars or quart jars.
More Easy Pickle Recipes You'll Love
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Printable Recipe
Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles
Ingredients
Brine Ingredients
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups white vinegar 5%
- 2 tablespoons pickling salt
- 1½ teaspoons mustard seed
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
Pickle Ingredients
- 2 medium bell peppers seeded, thinly sliced
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 8 cups cucumbers with peel thinly sliced
Instructions
- Add sugar, vinegar, pickling salt, mustard seed, turmeric, and celery seed to a large container. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the sliced bell peppers, onion, and cucumbers. Stir well and push down on the top of the vegetables so they are under the liquid. Let the container sit at room temperature for 3 hours.
- Stir or shake the container. Cover and store the pickles in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. Enjoy!
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Notes
- To make them spicy, add a few slices of jalapeño pepper or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to the brine.
- Use different cucumbers like Persian or Kirby, or add other vegetables like carrots or radishes.
- These pickles are not just for sandwiches. Chop them up and add to potato salad, deviled eggs, or burger sauce.
- Use a mix of green, red, yellow, and orange bell peppers.
- Don't discard the leftover pickle juice - use it in potato salad.
- These refrigerator pickles should always be kept chilled. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Claudia says
Just tried this recipe and it’s fantastic! The pickles are crisp and full of flavor. Definitely a keeper!
Swathi says
Referigerator bread and butter pickles is delicious I tried it. My daughter approved it and asked to make it more.
Elizabeth says
I love these homemade pickles! We used them on sandwiches for lunch and they were so yummy!
Adriana says
These pickles turned out amazing!
Leslie says
I love your idea of using the leftover juice in potato salad! Pure genius!! Such a great pickle recipe!